Cited without a mention is the number of answers that cited one of your pages as a source without naming your brand, out of all answers that link to your website. It reads like 12 / 40: 12 answers cited you without naming you, out of 40 that cited you.
Where to find it
On Sources, in the row of figures at the top of Where the answers come from. The Cited as a source tile on the Overview gives the same count in its hover, for example "12 cited you without naming you."
How it is counted
- An answer counts once, however many of your pages it links to. This matches Cited as a source.
- "Naming your brand" uses your brand name and the other names you set for it. See Competitors and brand names.
- The filters at the top of the page apply.
The figure does not show until at least one answer links to your website.
Why it matters
The engine trusted your page enough to use it, but the reader may never see your name. The click, and the credit, can go to whoever the answer does name.
What to do next
- Open Sources and look at which of your pages are cited. Make your brand name clear near the facts engines quote from them, for example in the first lines and in headings.
- Check that the names AI uses for you are set up as other names, so a mention is not missed.
- Run again after a change and see whether the count falls.